Russell Westbrook is one of the more polarizing players in the NBA. He's immensely talented, but his playing style and the edge that he plays with turns off many NBA fans—and apparently some players too. This fact is not lost on Westbrook.

According to Royce Young on The Hoop Collective, Westbrook is aware that he isn't the easiest person to play with. Young went on to say:

“It’s a conversation I’ve had with him and other people have talked to him about. He’s aware of the idea that people don’t want to play with him.”

Westbrook was a major reason why Kevin Durant decided that he needed to get out of Oklahoma City. Westbrook has matured a lot since Kevin Durant tucked tail for greener pastures in California. Westbrook is a bit of an enigma, but he's doing what he can to try and shed that stereotype.

In today's NBA, recruiting is an important aspect of being a star player. Westbrook is hoping that he can stop the same situation from happening with Paul George.

Young went on to describe just how much Westbrook has changed by saying:

“Paul George is meeting and getting to know Russell Westbrook as a father, as a married man and as a strong and mature guy. Quite an evolution in terms of personality. I think that’s kind of an interesting element.

“One thing Russell Westbrook is not known for is he’s not a real social guy when it comes to team dinners, hanging out, cookouts at the house, playing video games and doing those types of things. Westbrook was kind of off and isolated.

“He’s kind of broken out of that shell with Paul George.”

Westbrook is a different kind of player and by all accounts a different kind of person than most NBA players. That's not necessarily a bad thing. His intensity and demeanor is part of what makes him such an incredible player. At the very least, Westbrook is attempting to change his ways off the court in order to keep history from repeating itself.